How Long Did It Take Me to Learn Dutch?

October 22, 2026 | Leiden International Centre | |

Welcome to Ruth's Corner, a monthly column curated by our helpdesk professional Ruth to share with you her experience and expertise! This month it's all about reflecting on her Dutch-learning journey.

This month, I wanted to answer a question that I get asked regularly: “How long did it take for you to learn Dutch?”

The simple answer is around eight years.

The more complicated answer is that I am still learning.

While it took me about eight years to reach the level of fluency I have today, I don't think learning a language really has an end point. Although my Dutch is much better than it used to be, I still discover new words, encounter situations where I don't know the right expression, or find myself struggling to write something exactly as I would like.

Before moving to the Netherlands, we had lived here previously and visited Dutch friends over the years, so I did have a small woordenschat (vocabulary) to start with. However, knowing a few words is very different from being able to hold a conversation.

Like many people learning a new language, I tried to immerse myself as much as possible. I listened to Dutch radio, watched Dutch television, and used whatever Dutch I knew whenever I had the opportunity. I hoped the language would gradually become more familiar.

What I wasn't prepared for was how frustrated I would become with my progress.

Part of the problem was that I was far too critical of myself. Instead of recognising that I was making an effort, I focused on everything I couldn't do.

The reality is that nobody becomes fluent overnight, especially when they do not yet know the words they need. Letting go of that expectation was important, although I still sometimes find it frustrating that I can't always express myself as naturally as I can in English.

Learning Dutch also felt very stop-start. Some days I was motivated and determined; other days I didn't want to try at all. Speaking a language that didn't come naturally to me could be exhausting, especially when people responded in English or when I struggled to follow conversations.

Eventually, I enrolled in an inburgering course. While it taught me a lot about Dutch culture and society, its biggest benefit was giving me more exposure to the language. For the first time, I felt comfortable having simple conversations in Dutch.

Later, I took several language courses through the library in Leiden. These courses helped me expand my vocabulary, improve my sentence construction and, most importantly, gave me something I desperately needed: a safe place to make mistakes and practise speaking.

One area I continued to struggle with was grammar. At school in the UK, English grammar wasn't taught in much detail, which made learning Dutch grammar more difficult. I was often told that Dutch grammar shares similarities with English grammar, but that wasn't particularly helpful when I didn't fully understand the grammar rules of my own language.

The challenges that stayed with me

Being afraid to speak Dutch

In the beginning, I worried constantly about making mistakes or not understanding the response. Eventually, I realised that waiting until I spoke perfect Dutch meant I would never speak Dutch at all. Once I stopped worrying so much about getting everything right, conversations became much easier and the Dutch flowed more naturally.

Not being able to express myself fully

This was probably the hardest part of learning Dutch for me. I often felt that people only saw a limited version of my personality because I didn't have the language skills to express myself properly. Humour was especially difficult. The day I realised I could make a joke in Dutch and people laughed felt like a major milestone.

Mental exhaustion and forgetting words

Learning another language is tiring. Some days I had the energy to push myself outside my comfort zone; other days I didn't. Over time, I learned that taking a break didn't mean giving up, as long as I came back and tried again later.

Even now, when I'm tired, the words I need sometimes disappear completely. Occasionally I can't remember the Dutch word or the English one, which is both frustrating and slightly amusing.

The moments that made it worthwhile

There were plenty of encouraging moments along the way too.

One of my biggest confidence boosts came when I switched from speaking English with a Dutch friend to speaking only in Dutch. Her encouragement helped me believe that I really could do it. What's funny now is that she complains she never gets the opportunity to practise her English anymore!

Over time, I noticed I could follow conversations for longer periods without getting lost or tired. Spending long periods in Dutch-speaking environments used to leave me exhausted and with a headache. Gradually, that became less of an issue. What once required enormous effort started to feel more natural.

I also noticed something I never expected: sometimes the Dutch word would come to mind before the English one. Saying the Dutch word simply felt more natural in that moment.

Working in an office where both Dutch and English are spoken has also helped me enormously. It's reassuring to know that I can communicate in Dutch while still having English available if I get stuck. Having a safe environment to practise has made a real difference to my confidence.

Of course, I still have gaps in my knowledge. There are situations where I don't know the right word, moments when I stumble over my sentences, and times when my written Dutch doesn't sound quite as natural as I would like. The difference is that these things don't bother me as much as they once did. I know I'm doing my best most of the time, and I've found that most Dutch people genuinely appreciate the effort. Of course, there is always room for improvement. I would love to write flawless Dutch without relying on AI tools, and hopefully one day I will. But overall, I feel good about where I am.